Traffic marker



June 26, 1962 R. s. GREGOIRE ET AL 3,040,636

TRAFFIC MARKER Filed Oct. 19. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS E.L. sum tR. S. GREGOIRE BY I g 4 ATTORNEY June 26, 1962 R. s. GREGOIRE 'ET AL3,040,636

TRAFFIC MARKER Filed Oct. 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F I G. 7

1 r W I I0 I O I F G 8 I 69 6/ 39 j u v? 40 2 j 63 i I 64 65 66 40 FIG.9

INVENTORS E.L.S|MM

R-5.GREGOIRE BY W fi ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,949,636 TRAFFICMARKER Resta S. Gregoire, Philippi, W. Va., and Eugene L. Simrn,Harrisburg, Pa., assignors to Future Products, Inc., Washington, D.C., acorporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 847,130 1 (Iiaim.(Cl. 94l.5)

This invention relates to structures of various kinds including thoseemployed in the direction, regulation and control of traflic and formarking curbs, islands, dividers and other types of devices.

This invention relates specifically to traflic markers both fixed andportable and in various shapes, sizes and materials and with or withoutreflecting portions, as Well as those which are rigid or have flexibleportions, and whether subjected to light or hard usage.

Heretofore difficulty has been experienced in the construction,maintenance and repair of traffic markers which were more or less custommade or produced on location and consequently required time to installor remove and were expensive and difficult to install subsequent to thecompletion of the structure in which they were to be applied. Thisresulted in delays in traflic with consequent hazards and also resultedin poor sanitation due to improper drainage and in damage to personalproperty as Well as marred the beauty of the landscape. Also portabletype devices were easily upset and became hazards to traffic andotherwise were unsatisfactory.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the difliculties indicatedincluding increased visibility and other factors which promote safety,to improve the sanitary conditions and the general appearance of thearea, and to provide a traffic marker of inexpensive construction andwhich can be readily installed and removed for application in anotherlocation with minimum damage to the foundation to which applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide traflic markers forinstallation as signs which when struck will return to the originalposition and containing reflective portions, as well as traflic markersor signs which can be applied on an inclined surface with the signs inupright position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2, an enlarged detailed section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, a horizontal section on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4, a perspective of a dome type traffic marker;

FIG. 5, a vertical section through the marker of FIG. 4 and thefoundation on which it is mounted;

FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are four additional modifications; and

FIG. 10, a perspective of an elongated sign, a crossremovable portionand regardless of whether it is constructed for return to initialposition when struck.

With continued reference to the drawings a portable traflic marker maybe of any desired configuration as that disclosed in'FIGS. 1, 2 and 3and comprising a relatively long thin hollow body 14} preferably withtop members 11 and 12 which angle upwardly to a peak or ridge 13. Theends 14 and 15 of the top members angle downwardly and may be coatedwith a reflective material.

The ends of the marker are provided'with a socket 16 in which isreceived a generally cylindrical peg 17 having an enlarged head 18. Thepeg 17 is adapted to fit within a recess 20 in a street foundation 21 orother solid and to retain such marker in fixed position until the pegsare removed from the recess.

The marker is preferably made from lightweight shock resistant materialsuch as fiberglass or plastic and colored yellow for increasedvisibility. Also the top surfaces may be covered with a reflectivecoating or may be used for directional signals or other indicia.

A marker of another shape may be used as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5which is generally dome shaped with a body 25 of lightweight shockresistant material. This marker has a central inverted conical socket 26in which is received a cooperating conical head 27 of a pin 28. The body25 is provided with a plurality of openings 29 which may be used forlifting the device or for the receipt of reflectors, hereinafterillustrated and described with regard to FIG. 6.

The recess 2% in the pavement 21 normally is filled or pluggedto excludedirt and moisture and when it is desired to install one of the markersthe plug is removed and the pin 28 is inserted in the opening.

With reference to the markers of FIGS. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 a portabletraffic marker is provided having a body of any suitable configurationsuch as a hollow dome or an elongated semi-cylindrical portion with bothends closed. The body 35, as illustrated in FIG. 6, is providedcentrally of the upper portion with a cup or socket 36 having adepending cylindrical portion37 with a bottom 38. The bottom 38 isprovided'with an opening 39 in which is received a self-tapping fasteneror screw 40* having a head 41. The cup 36 is adapted to receive a beadedreflector 42 maintained in position by adhesive 43. When this marker isused a self-tapping screw 40 is placed in the depending cylindricalportion 37 with the tip projecting through the opening 39. The device isplaced on the pavement or foundation and screw 40 is driven in to holdthe body in position after which the beaded reflector 42 can be fixed inposition.

The marker of FIG. 7 is similar to that in FIG. 6 but instead of the cupand depending cylindrical portions a body 45 is provided with a centralinverted depending frustoconical portion 46 having a bottom 47 with anopening 43 therein to receive the self-tapping screw 40. This type ofdevice is used principally for attaching signs to the roadway and forthis purpose a plug 49 of a flexible material is provided having afrusto-conical portion 50 at one end for cooperative engagement with theportion 46 of the body. The opposite end of the plug 49 is provided withan opening 51 in which is received a post 52 and to the upper end ofsuch post, a sign or direction signal is attached. In the event that amotorist accidentally strikes the sign or the post 52 the flexible plug4-9 will bend and when the striking force has passed, the plug 49 willreturn traflic marker is placed in position on the street in a mannersimilar to that previously described in which the self-tapping screw 40is first driven into the foundation and then the plug 49 is fixed to thebase by adhesive 53.

If desired the conical portion 46 may be replaced by .a cylindricalportion and such cylindrical portion may With reference to the marker ofFIG. 8 the body 35 is identical to the body of FIG. 6 and is adapted tobe the post to its upright position. This I has a recess 57 in which isreceived the lower portion of the post 52.

With reference to FIG. 9 a'universal trafiicmarker is provided having abody 60 'with a central depending cylindrical portion 61 with inturnedlower flanges 62. The inner edge of the flange 62 is bent downwardly toform a cup or socket 63 having a central depending cylindrical portion64 with a bottom 65 and such bottom having an opening 66 in which isreceived the self-tapping screw 40. A sphere or ball 67 of a size tocooperatively engage socket 63 is provided and such ball has a threadedprojection 68 which is received within the lower portion of a post 69.The ball 67 is maintained in position the socket 63 by a nut 70 having acentral and semispherical opening 71 in cooperative engagement with theball 67 and an opening 72 to permit passage of the projection 68. Thenut 70 is provided with external threads '73 in engagement with internalthreads 74 on the interior of the cylindrical recess 61. Also the nut 70is provided with a pair of blind openings 75 which may be engaged by aspanner wrench to lock the ball and the post carried thereon in anyadjusted position.

The bodies 35, 45 and 60 preferably are made of strong lightweightmaterial and may have either a reflective coating or Imay have anappropriate color for better visibility. If desired the base may includetratfic signals such as arrows 76.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may bemade in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that whichisillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification but onlyas indi cated in the accompanying claim.

What is claimed is:

A trafiic marker comprising abody having arcuate side walls leading to atop portion, a socket member depending from said top portion, saidsocket member comprising an upper threaded neck portion and a lowerspherical portion terminating in a cup withperforated bottom whichperforated bottom is adapted to receive a fastener for securement of themarker to a foundation, the bottom of the cup being at a levelsubstantially that of the lower ends of the arcuate side walls, aprojection threaded at its upper end and provided with a ball at itslower end seated against the sherical portion of the socket member, alock nut threaded into said threaded neck portion and engaging the ballto hold the ball in place, and a traffic marker post threaded onto saidthreaded projection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

